The laughter of the bullies echoed in the air as Miles Daves stumbled helplessly, his body being tossed from one side to the other by waves of magical force. His feet barely touched the ground as the magic pushed him back in a cruel circle, each push more forceful than the last. The air around him crackled with the power of their spells—spells that were as easy to them as breathing, but to him, they were an insurmountable wall.
A burst of energy sent him sprawling to the dirt, his body hitting the ground with a sickening thud. Pain shot through him, but before he could even gather himself, another spell collided with his ribs, and he gasped for air, feeling it all but leave him. His vision blurred, his thoughts fading as his body was battered relentlessly. The magic kept coming, each hit landing harder than the last. The bullies' laughter was a constant, ringing in his ears like a mockery.
They didn't stop. Not even when he lay on the ground, barely breathing, blood staining the dirt beneath him. Not until only an inch of life remained in him. Only then did they finally walk away, their cruel voices fading into the distance as Miles lay there, broken and alone.
His chest heaved with labored breaths as tears welled up in his eyes, his body shaking with the pain, the humiliation. The world around him seemed to spin, a blur of colors and light that he couldn't grasp.
Why? Miles thought, his voice breaking inside his mind. Why me? What have I done wrong?
There were others, weren't there? Others who hadn't awakened their magic elements. Others who weren't as strong as the rest. Yet, none of them had been treated this way, not like him. Why was he always the target? Why was he always the one pushed to the edge, trampled beneath the weight of a world that had no mercy for the weak?
In a world where magic was everything, where the strong ruled with absolute power and the weak were nothing more than stepping stones, it felt so unfair. How could they do this? How could they just… hurt me like this? His thoughts twisted in anguish. Every bruise, every broken bone, every inch of humiliation carved deeper into him.
If only I had awakened my element, he thought desperately, his tears mixing with the dirt on his face. If only I were stronger... maybe then I wouldn't be nothing. Maybe then they'd stop hurting me.
But that was a wish he'd held for years, a dream that never came true. The magic that everyone else had—their power, their strength—was something he could never touch, something that would always remain out of reach.
As he lay there, the weight of the world pressing down on him, a sense of hopelessness settled in his chest. But within that despair, something stirred, a flicker of defiance.
Miles' vision blurred as his consciousness began to fade, his last, fleeting thought a desperate whisper inside his mind. Only if...
The world around him became a blur, the sounds of laughter and the echoes of the magical attacks growing fainter and fainter, until there was nothing but silence. Then, all at once, everything went dark.
When Miles finally regained consciousness, it wasn't the pain he expected that greeted him. Instead, there was an eerie stillness, a strange calm that enveloped him. Blinking his eyes open, he found himself lying in the dark corner of a narrow street, the dim light of a distant lamppost casting long shadows against the walls. His head throbbed faintly, but beyond that, there was no unbearable pain. No broken ribs. No bruises. The weight of the beating he had taken seemed to have vanished, as if it had all been a terrible dream.
He slowly sat up, his body moving with an unfamiliar ease, and looked around, confusion creeping into his mind. Where am I? The familiar sights of the street were comforting, yet there was a strange quality to it, a quietness that didn't match the chaos of his last memory.
The last thing he remembered was the cruel magic slamming into him, the laughter of the bullies ringing in his ears as he fell, broken and defeated. But now... nothing. No pain. No lingering injuries. It was as if everything had been erased, as if the world had hit a reset button.
He tried to stand, his legs wobbly, and immediately stumbled forward. His arms shot out to catch himself, but he fell to the ground, his body unsteady, as if it didn't quite know how to move yet. He felt... off. Different. It was as though his very balance had shifted.
What... the hell?
Miles tried again, determination flashing in his eyes. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to his feet, focusing hard, his body straining with the effort. But this time, when he stood, there was something strange about him. His muscles felt unusually powerful—like he had strength he didn't remember ever having. He steadied himself, feeling a rush of energy coursing through him, almost like an electric current running beneath his skin.
His heart raced as he marveled at the new sensations. It wasn't just the strength, but the clarity in his mind. His body felt different—tougher, more resilient, as if the very air around him had changed.
"What is this...?" he muttered under his breath, his voice shaky. He looked down at his hands, his fingers curling into fists, feeling the raw power surging beneath his skin. Was this real? He could feel it. The magic, the energy—something inside him had changed.
How...?
His breath quickened. He staggered forward, trying to get his bearings, but his mind was still reeling. There was no logical explanation for this. One moment, he had been broken, on the brink of death, and now...? Now, he felt unstoppable. Stronger than he'd ever been, like a different person altogether.
But it wasn't just his physical body that had changed. The world around him seemed sharper, as if his senses had been heightened, too. His ears picked up on the faintest of sounds—an old piece of paper fluttering in the wind, the soft hum of the streetlight. His vision felt clearer, more vivid, as if the night itself was no longer shrouded in darkness.
What... is happening to me? Miles wondered, panic creeping into his chest.
The reality of the situation crashed down on him, but it was mixed with awe. Could it be... could it be that he had awakened his element? But how? He had never been able to awaken anything before.
Miles stared at the glowing screen in front of him, his heart racing as he stared at the stat panel that had materialized in his vision. It was a shock, but a welcome one. His body, which had felt so weak and broken moments ago, now buzzed with strange energy. He reached out instinctively, as if the panel would respond to his touch.
STATUS
NAME : Miles Daves
AGE : 15
Level : None
Experience : None
Health : 6(3)
Strength : 4(1.5)
Agility : 6(3)
Endurance : 8(4)
Speed : 8(4)
Mana : 10(1)
Defense : 5(2)
Wisdom : 1(0.1)
Perception : 6(3)
Willpower : 9(9)
Affinity : Golem(100%)
(where stats in bracket are his stats before)
"Wait... this can't be real," Miles whispered to himself. His hands were trembling as he scrolled through the list. "These stats... They're... they're higher than before!"
His eyes widened further as he scrolled, his breath catching in his throat. For a moment, he wondered if his stats were just a mistake or some sort of temporary effect. But then he thought of something.
Maybe I awakened my element. Maybe that's why I'm healed, why I feel stronger...
Excitedly, he glanced toward the Affinity section, where something new caught his attention. Golem (100%) was written in bold letters.
His mind went blank for a moment. Golem? He had heard of them before—magical creatures made from stone, earth, or metal, summoned to serve their masters. But what did it mean for him to have an affinity for something like that?
At first, he wondered if he had awakened a healing element instead—that would make sense, right? Maybe it healed me... But as his eyes lingered on the Golem entry, confusion began to replace his hope. Golem wasn't a healing element. What was this? Could this be the cause of his newfound strength?
Wait... Golem? Miles repeated in his head. Maybe it's connected to my power. Maybe I'm controlling something like a golem. But it's... 100%. That's huge. It could mean something else entirely...
His heart raced again, this time with a deep sense of curiosity mixed with the thrill of finally having power.
He shook his head, trying to focus, then turned his thoughts back to his tormentors—the kids who had beaten him and bullied him mercilessly. They had treated him like dirt, constantly reminding him of how weak he was. Now, his body felt different, more powerful. Could it be that I've really awakened my element? And if I have... then I'm not weak anymore.
The thought of finally being able to take control, to make them pay for everything, made his fists tighten.
I won't be a victim anymore, he thought, clenching his jaw. I'll show them that I'm not weak. I'll show them what it means to mess with me.
For the first time in his life, he wasn't just a helpless target—he had the strength to change everything. He wasn't sure what golem meant yet, or how it worked, but he knew one thing for sure:
He was done being pushed around.
He was ready to take on whatever came next—and this time, it was his turn to be the one in control.